Pet News Directly To You?

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Shetland Sheepdog: Are Shelties Miniature Versions Of A Rough Collie?

Sheltie Dog History, Intelligence, Temperament and Care Tips!

Shetland Sheepdogs may not be the as well-known around the world as compared to other Dog breeds, but this does little to change the fact that they are still very much loved by many. Perhaps we might have even mistaken Shetland Sheep Dogs for a Collie— ever wondered why this "Collie" seems so much smaller in size?

Fun Fact #1TheShetland Sheepdog breed was given the nameShetland Collieinitially. Today, they are also known asSheltiefor short.

Shetland Sheepdog

Shelties are a breed of Dog from the Shetland Islands in Scotland best known for purpose with herding. While they were originally given the nameShetland Colliein the past, this caused a long standing dispute with Rough Collie breeders— which brought about the change of the breed's name to Shetland Sheepdog, as we know of today. Understandably, it wasn't just because the names were clashing, Shetland Sheepdogs looked remarkably similar to Rough Collies too. Shelties like other animals from Shetland Islands (i.e. Ponies and Sheeps), were bred to cope and withstand against the harsh weather conditions on the islands.

Fun Fact #2The OG sheep-herding Shetland dogs were regarded as aSpitz-type dog. They no longer exist as their jobs were taken over by Border Collies.

Although the animals are miniatures of their own kind, Shetland Sheepdogs are not a smaller version to the Rough Collie. The original "concoction" is still shrouded in mystery— breeds involved included the Scottish Collie, KingCharles Spaniel, Pomeranianand also the much rumoured Border Collie.Only much later were small Rough Collies added to the equation by James Loggie, contributing to the Sheltie version we see today. In 1909, the Shetland Sheepdog breed got recognized by the EKC (English Kennel Club), and in 1911, by the AKC (American Kennel Club).

Fun Fact #3Did you know, the modern Shetland Sheepdog we know of today isuncommon in their native lands? Interestingly, they are alsonot usedfor sheep-herding purposes!

What Does A Shetland Sheepdog Look Like?

From mere photographs of individual breeds, its is rather inevitable to mistake a Sheltie for a Rough Collie and sometimes, colour variations can have them confused with other breeds like the Border Collie, and even the Australian Shepherd Dog.

How do you tell aSheltiefrom aRough Collieif they look so similar?Sheltie Size— A Shetland Sheepdog is a small Dog breed. In size comparison itself, the Rough Collie is way larger than a Sheltie— also the reason why Shelties are thought of as a miniature version of the Rough Collie.

Sheltie Features — Double coat made up of a soft undercoat, and rough guard hairs above. Bushy plush tails hang low most of the time, and are only lifted when alert or excited. Only Blue Merle Shelties may have Blue eyes, or Odd-eyes (one Blue, one Dark), all other Sheltie colour variations have brown or dark eyes.

Fun Fact #4The double coat of a Sheltie is useful in all weather conditions— rough guard hairs arewater-resistant, while the soft undercoat provides just theright insulation.

Sheltie Colours— Sable, Tri-colour and Blue Merle are three colour variations of Shetland Sheepdogs. These variations can range from Brown shades to Golden and even Reddish-brown with White and/or Tan. Predicting how much White will appear on a Sheltie is not as simple as breeding two Shelties with minimal White— a coloured variant Pup is possible between two predominantly White Shetland Sheepdogs too.

Trim their nails so they do not get too long and start clacking on floors, and swab out dirt build-up in the ears and around the eyes with a dog-friendly cleanser and cotton balls if necessary. To keep your Sheltie's coat healthy and ease up your grooming efforts, visit a professional Groomer at least once every one or two months.

HOT TIPOwners are advised not to opt for shaving— once shaved, the coat of a Sheltie may not regrow as smoothly to it's original state. Shaving is also reported to be harmful for their skin.

Shetland Sheepdog Personality and Temperament

Known as one of the most loyal and ranked highly forintellegence, Shelties fair really well with training and are often top choices in competions involving agility and obedience. Walks and playtime keeps a Sheltie feeling happy and purposeful. Active, playful, and loving, Shelties are also favourites to families.

It almost seems like there isn't anything a Shetland Sheepdog can't provide as a companion— they're make great therapy Dogs too! Topped off with an even temperament, they'd make a great addition to any home. With lots of love and proper care, a Sheltie's average lifespan ranges from 12 to 13 years.

Fun Fact #6Shelties are reportedly one of thefastestat grasping a command as compared to other Dog breeds. Got a farm? Don't forget their innate ability forSheepherding! A friend, companion and working breed is a Shetland Sheepdog ☺

Your Stories Can Be Heard Too

Got a Sheltie of your own? Your voices are important to us and the Pets community! Our readers are encouraged to share their Pet-related reviews of a place and its services, experiences, even lifestyle tips and tricks to better our Pets lives, on our platform, one paw at a time. Be a part of an educational and informative Pets community because at ThePetsDialogue, your voices could make a huge difference on a global scale.

Write to us at hello@thepetsdialogue.com today!

Our website is a work in progress, however, if you did find our articles interesting please do feel free to share! For more Pet care tips and other Pet-related articles, head to www.thepetsdialogue.com ☺

Disclaimer

This article was written with informational purposes, as you know, we’d love to share our collective research and experiences as fellow Pet owners and lovers. It is not meant to alternate in any way as advice or diagnosis of Professionals.

ThePetsDialogue claims no credit for images posted on this article unless otherwise displayed/stated. All rights go to respective owners as mentioned. If you do not wish for your image(s) to appear here do drop us an e-mail and it will be removed promptly. If you do wish to use any of our original published information, you are welcome to contact us!